Take a few minutes to drink up this NYT editorial on the virtues of tap water. It’s one of the most emailed stories on the NYT site, so maybe you’ve already seen it.
This bit is particularly relevant …
Water bottles, like other containers, are made from natural gas and petroleum. The Earth Policy Institute in Washington has estimated that it takes about 1.5 million barrels of oil to make the water bottles Americans use each year. That could fuel 100,000 cars a year instead. And, only about 23 percent of those bottles are recycled, in part because water bottles are often not included in local redemption plans that accept beer and soda cans. Add in the substantial amount of fuel used in transporting water, which is extremely heavy, and the impact on the environment is anything but refreshing.
… especially seeing as how bottled water is just tap water in a fancy (earth-hating) container, anyway.
Note at the end of the piece the bit about how many cities are starting tap-water campaigns. New York is genius for advertising its tap water as "zero sugar" and "stain free."
I’m also still a big fan of Denver’s campaign for water conservation. Check out this text from their updated website:
I pledge to conserve water. I pledge to be a camel. I pledge to turn my soul over to the dry side. I pledge to wash my socks when — and only when — the guy on the bus asks me if I stepped in something. I pledge to never shower alone. But I also pledge to never sneak into someone else’s shower, no matter how cute he or she is. I pledge to gently nudge my neighbor toward my conservation ways, and if that doesn’t work, I pledge to weld his faucet shut. I pledge to ask for a doggy bag for any unused water left in my glass. I pledge to only order water in a restaurant if I recently trekked three days through the desert and my tongue has been fused to the back of my teeth for two of those days. I pledge that if it is yellow, I will let it mellow. If it is brown, I may or may not flush it down right away. I pledge to reduce my water usage by 22 percent. If I only reach 21 percent, I will shave my head and paint it orange for all to know my shame. I pledge to make Colorado a better place for my kids. And my kids’ kids. And my kids’ kids’ kids.
And speaking of amusing water-y news, did you know people still use divining rods to find water?
